#Zard Exhaust for Ducati Scrambler

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Zard Exhaust for Ducati Scrambler - RidingSports.com #ZardExhaust #ducat...

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Custom Bikes Of The Week: 4 August, 2019

The Bathtub is back, thanks to BAAK’s Interceptor 650. Plus an Indian Chief with a barbecue grill attached, a cool kit for the Ducati Scrambler, and news of Triumph’s insane new Rocket 3—with 221 Nm of torque.

Indian/Traeger sidecar hack by See See Motorcycles Remember when See See Motorcycles put an espresso machine in a sidecar? Well, they’re at it again—except this time, they’re smoking meat instead of grinding beans.

In a collaboration with Traeger Grills and Indian Motorcycle, See See’s Thor Drake has stuck a fully operational wood pellet grill into a sidecar rig. The motorcycle is an Indian Chief Dark Horse, the grill is a Traeger Ironwood Series 885, and the sidecar is a vintage item that’s been restored. And yes, getting all that to play nice was as complicated as you think.

I saw the build in progress at See See’s Portland workshop, and there was a lot going on. Mating the sidecar to the Indian took some doing, but even more work went into getting the details right. Note the sidecar’s modern alloy wheel, and how its fender matches the bike’s front fender.

Thor’s quirky sense of humor is on full display too. The grill vents via a pair of actual motorcycle exhausts, and the handle to open it is a set of handlebars. Park this and See See’s mobile cafe rig next to each other, and you’ve just about got the perfect picnic. [More]

Royal Enfield Interceptor by BAAK Motocyclettes We loved the Royal Enfield Interceptor‘s classic, minimalist style the moment we saw it—and a number of custom shops have already proven how well it responds to wrenching. This latest example comes from France’s BAAK Motocyclettes, and it ramps up the Interceptor’s charm with just a hint of quirkiness in the mix.

Bucking the trend of stripping as much as possible off a bike, this Interceptor’s main feature is a rear fairing. Like the ‘Bathtub’ Triumph BAAK built a while ago, it’s a nod to Triumph, Norton and BSA designs of the 50s and 60s—and a tip of the hat to Vespa. The design started with sketches, which then became cardboard cutouts before the final form was hand-shaped in aluminum.

There’s a black leather seat up top, and a pair of Shock Factory struts poking out lower down. BAAK also installed a set of risers and bars from their catalog, and sunk a Motogadget speedo into the new headlight housing. The levers were swapped for KustomTech units, and the ignition was relocated to below the tank.

Finishing touches include Dunlop Roadmaster tires, a stainless steel front fender, and smaller bits like headlight ears, custom switches and Biltwell Inc. grips. BAAK shortened the stock headers, and then added a pair of custom made aluminum mufflers. And to reinforce just how classy this Interceptor looks, the paint job is a chic red-with-white affair. [Interceptor product page]

Ducati Scrambler 1100 by CC Racing Garage Custom build kits make a lot of sense. A good kit can give a modern classic a quick visual tweak, without the need to cut or weld. Take this Ducati Scrambler 1100, for example—thanks to a new kit from CC Racing Garage, it looks just that much sharper than the original.

According to the CC RG crew, everything you see here is completely plug and play, attaching to existing mounting points on the Ducati. They collaborated with BCP Lab to develop it, using 3D modeling and printing to prototype parts.

Despite the modern approach, the tailpiece is actually a handmade part—shaped from aluminum with a hammer and an English wheel. The kit also includes a new, tighter front fender, and a small headlight nacelle with a relocation bracket for the speedo. And if you look closely, you’ll notice that the tank’s wearing new side panels that sit slightly recessed.

This Scrambler’s also sporting a custom-built radiator, a custom exhaust system, and a few little trim bits like bar-end mirrors. With everything buttoned up, CC Racing Garage wrapped the bike in a tasteful and striking blue. We’re not sure how much the kit costs or if and when it will be available, but it’s a great upgrade for the already stylish Scrambler. [More]

2020 Triumph Rocket 3 R and GT Oh boy. After a short break from Triumph’s line-up, the genre-bending Rocket 3 muscle cruiser is back. And it’s looking even more menacing than before.

According to Triumph, the 2,458 cc three-cylinder motor is the largest currently available in a production bike. It’s a true monster, laying down 221 Nm of torque at a mere 4,000 rpm, and makes 11% more power than its predecessor. It’s lighter than before too, and features an aluminum frame, adjustable Showa suspension and Brembo brakes.

The Rocket 3’s available in ‘R’ and ‘GT’ models. The R (above) is more of a roadster, while the GT adds a few bits to make it more touring friendly. Both feature a slew of modern considerations, like cornering ABS, traction control, rider modes and a full TFT display. Optional extras cover everything from a quick-shifter to extra smartphone connectivity plugins.

Looks-wise, the Rocket 3 is an acquired taste—but we like it. It’s slightly more refined than the original, but no less aggressive, and we’re spotting a lot of finer details that we love. Right now, all that’s left to do is pluck up the courage for a test ride. [More]

Triumph Rocket 3 by Hammer Kraftrad The new Rocket 3’s debut has us wondering: is it even the sort of bike worth customizing? This older Rocket from Michael Hammer in Germany says Ja. It’s sort of a muscle-cafe hybrid, and it looks downright fun.

Michael massaged out the Rocket’s cruiser lines and stance, and propped it up on a Wilbers rear shock. He also fabricated new alloy bodywork—from the fairing, right through to the tank, tail and fenders. The riding position’s been modified too, thanks to new rear sets and a set of superbike bars.

The airbox has been replaced by three K&N filters, and there’s a Zard exhaust that we’re betting sounds bonkers. The ignition system’s been tweaked too, so this Rocket should lift off even better than before.

Wrapped in a green paint job, Hammer’s Rocket 3 looks almost factory. Sure, it probably doesn’t make much sense… until you see a photo of it being ridden in anger. [More]

[olivereliott]

Custom Bikes Of The Week: 23 June, 2019

We’ve got a Harley-heavy selection this week, with a cafe racer from Italy, a scrambler from Japan and a tracker from the UK. Rounding out the selection are a rally-style Royal Enfield, and a jaw-dropping cafe/streetfighter Ducati Panigale.

Harley-Davidson Sportster by Speed and Custom Followers of the V-Twin scene in Britain will know Steve Willis’ name: as the man behind Speed and Custom, he runs one of Europe’s top in-house Harley-Davidson custom shops.

Steve just dropped us a line about this new Sportster 883 build. It was commissioned by a customer who was very taken with S&C’s Dirt Quake-winning Mert Lawill replica flat tracker, and wanted something in a similar vein. The idea was to build a Sportster with a rugged, shed built vibe, rather than something clean and showy.

On went a raw aluminum fuel tank from Omega Racer in Thailand, and a ribbed rear fender. The fender support was made from an old sissy bar, and the rider’s seat is a re-shaped Forty-Eight unit, upholstered by SM Trimming. The modern emulsion shocks were swapped for a set of more classic looking items from a Nightster, and a set of off-the-shelf number boards were modified to fit the sides.

This street tracker also features a Paughco exhaust system and a Bison Motorsports velocity stack, with a one-off aluminum cover over the fuel injection module, complete with the Speed and Custom logo. As for the ’44’ on the number boards, those are a nod to 1944—the year the customer’s father participated in the D-Day Landings. [Speed and Custom Instagram]

Ducati Panigale by Thornton Hundred Motorcycles With 205 hp and 145 Nm of torque on tap, the 2017 Ducati Panigale 1299 is mental enough in stock form. Now imagine stripping off the fairings and making it more compact. Jody Millhouse at Thornton Hundred Motorcycles did—and this ballistic cafe-slash-streetfighter is the result.

Jody did more than just bin the Panigale fairings though. Out back is a CNC-milled subframe and seat support, with a seat that’s not too far off the stock perch’s ergonomics. Up front, Jody designed and 3D printed a headlight nacelle that packs two LEDS—and lets air through to the Ducati’s intakes. New clip-ons from Renthal went on, along with Motogadget bar-end blinkers.

Exposing the Panigale’s guts meant that a lot of unsightly electronics were now on display. So Jody fabricated a set of side ‘winglets’ to round out the bodywork, and to hide away those components. He also fitted a new oil cooler in a new position, which meant he could clean up the plumbing significantly.

There’s about 70 hours of work in the exhaust alone. Jody 3D printed prototypes of the flanges, then built a pie-cut titanium system. He tweaked the bike further with an adjustable Ducabike shock linkage and AM rearsets. And between that exhaust, and a fresh engine tune, this Panigale now packs an extra 15 horses. [Thornton Hundred Motorcycles]

Harley-Davidson Fat Boy by Mr Martini A 1998-model Fat Boy is the last bike we’d pick for a cafe racer. But somehow, Mr Nicola Martini has pulled it off. Yes, this Harley is still low, long and planted—but it’s also extremely classy, and a suitable addition to Mr Martini’s stylish portfolio.

The biggest visual hit comes from the new bodywork. There’s a slimmer tank up top, and a new set of lower side fairings that give the Fat Boy an almost vintage racer feel. Mr Martini built two quick-release seat units too—one with a tail hump, and one with a bench seat to bring a friend along.

The Harley’s stance has been significantly tweaked. The Fat Boy’s chunky wheels are still in play, but they’re now hooked up to a polished JMC swing arm, a fully adjustable rear shock, and a set of upside-down front forks.

On the performance side, this Fat Boy’s packed with Edelbrock heads, an S&S carb and an open chain primary. The exhaust system is from Zard, but it’s no off-the-shelf part—the Italian company built it specifically for this bike. That alone should make this cruiser-cafe hybrid one helluva traffic light burner too. [Mr Martini]

Royal Enfield Himalayan by Wrench Kings The Himalayan’s biggest selling points are that it’s simple and affordable. But as a number of custom builders have already proven, it’s fun to customize too. This latest example comes from Wrench Kings, who’ve given the Royal Enfield dual sport a robust, rally raid vibe.

The underlying motorcycle has gone largely unchanged, save for a new exhaust that should add an extra pony or two (and improve the soundtrack). So most of the changes are around cosmetics, protection and usability.

Wrench Kings ditched the Himalayan’s OEM headlight and screen combo, and fabricated a rally-style front fairing. It features mesh panels up top with two LEDs, and mesh inserts on the sides to dress up the Enfield’s goofy front-end framework. There’s also a set of fog lights lower down, a new bash plate, and a GPS lurking behind the new fairing.

Wrench Kings also recovered the seat, built a neat little integrated taillight, and fitted Motogadget turn signals. There’s a set of side panels to visually beef up the fuel tank, and a shorter fender to abbreviate the tail. A repurposed jerry can on a custom mount adds some cargo carrying capability. Like the bike? You can also enter a lottery competition to win it.

Harley-Davidson Sportster by Chikara Ueyama Most Sportster-based scramblers are built to look the part, and handle a modicum of actual off-roading. But this 1998 Harley-Davidson XLH883 was put together for proper off-road shenanigans. It belongs to Chikara Ueyama—CEO of Japanese parts manufacturer K&H—who built it over three years in his spare time.

Even though this scrambler’s still recognizable as a Sportster, Ueyama-san has made a ton of changes. He built the new fuel tank, rear fender, skid plate and seat pan himself, using carbon fiber reinforced polymer. But he kept the headlight, speedo, air cleaner cover, oil tank and rear struts, as a nod to the original.

There’s some trick framework going on too. Chikara fabricated little ‘subframes’ to lower the foot pegs, built a new exhaust mount, and moved the swing arm pivot. The swing arm itself is custom too—all design to accommodate a set of long Öhlins shocks. They’re matched up to a pair of upside-down forks, and a set of big hoops.

Finishing kit includes MX bars, knobby tires and a beefy Akrapovič exhaust. Chikara now treats it as a legit dual-sport bike, using it for everything from commuting, to adventure touring and rally events. [More]

[olivereliott]

Body Doubles: Anvil’s twin Suzuki and Honda flat trackers

Two of the custom scene’s most enigmatic personalities are Alessandro Fontanesi and Marco Filios. Known as ‘Phonz’ and ‘San Marco,’ they’re the creative force behind the Italian custom outfit Anvil Motociclette and the annual Wildays festival.

You’d be forgiven for thinking these two longhaired, heavily tattooed custom builders are brothers. Considering they’re the same age, went to high school together, and have been friends for twenty years, they may as well be.

To celebrate the two decades of their friendship, they’ve started racing flat track together. So when Indian Motorcycle commissioned the Scout ‘Shrimp’ tracker from Anvil, the boys built a set of matching race bikes for themselves too.

Phonz’s bike is Little Boy (#11) and San Marco’s is Fat Man (#52). At a glance they look the same—but they’re actually very different. Little Boy has a Suzuki DR600 motor in a DR500 frame, and Fat Man is based on a Honda XR600.

As the Anvil boys put it: “They’re apparently similar, but very different—exactly like the personality of the founders. They look the same but they aren’t. They work for the same objective, but in different ways.”

Fat Man (below) lives up to his name: Anvil started with a 1995 XR600 rolling chassis, and a 1991 XR600 motor. Then they bored the already stonking thumper out to 650 cc, and added a Keihin FCR 41 flatslide carb, with a BMC filter.

The XR600 is sporting a new front end too, with a set of modified forks and triples from a Yamaha R6. For the wheels, the guys laced a set of 19” Excel rims to the original XR hubs. As is the norm in flat track racing, there’s no front brake—but the rear brake’s been refreshed with a new disc and pads from Newfren.

Little Boy’s donor bike is a bit of a mash-up too (below). Phonz wanted the compactness of the older Suzuki DR500’s chassis, but with a bigger motor. So the guys wedged a 1990 DR600 mill into a 1981 DR500 frame—which meant fabricating new engine mounts.

Just like the Honda, Little Boy was treated to a Keihin FCR 41 carb and BMC filter. A set of Ducati Scrambler 400 forks and triples were modified to work up front, and a pair of 19” Excel rims matched up to Honda Dominator hubs. (The rear brake’s from the Dommie too, with Newfren once again supplying a new disc and pads.)

With matching number boards and fork guards up front, and all-black paint on the engines, it’s hard to tell the two apart. But it’s the remaining mods that really make them indistinguishable.

To achieve uniformity, Anvil built almost identical subframes for both bikes. On the XR600, that meant converting the rear end from Honda’s trusty Pro-Link monoshock to a dual-shock system. Both rears were then fitted with new Bitubo shocks, and capped off with matching number boards, and aluminum rear fenders.

For the seats, Anvil wanted to move away from the more common flat track tail sections, towards a style more reminiscent of the 60s. So they built a pair of matching saddles, upholstered in their signature black and white pattern.

The Honda and Suzuki share the same fuel tank design too. Anvil fabricated matching aluminum shells, then designed each tunnel specific to each bike’s frame.

The rest of the running gear is the same across both trackers: Ariete foot pegs and grips, and Tommaselli flat track bars with minimal controls. Both bikes have also had their wiring stripped right down to the bare essentials.

Then there’s those stunning exhaust systems. Anvil partnered up with Zard to design headers specific to each chassis, with both systems terminating in matching reverse cone mufflers.

And if you’re wondering why Fat Man and Little Boy are wearing modified Indian logos, it’s because they’ve joined the Indian Shrimp on the newly formed Anvil Racing team. (You should see their race van.)

The team’s taking on the European flat track circuit, and Phonz and San Marco are pretty realistic about their chances. “We are not professional racers,” they tell us, “and this is the first year we’ve seriously dedicated ourselves to flat track.”

That said, San Marco’s already bagged two third-place finishes in his class, and Phonz has finished fourth overall for the season in his.

Not bad going for a couple of rookies.

Anvil Motociclette | Facebook | Instagram

Anvil would like to thank their partners: Ariete, Baume & Mercier, Bitubo, BMC Filter, Newfren, Pakelo, Zard and Rizoma.

[olivereliott]

Custom Bikes Of The Week: 4 February, 2018

Off-the-wall customs from K-Speed, Titan Motorcycles and Masaharu. Plus a classy Moto Morini Corsaro from Mr Martini, and a BMW K100 all the way from Moscow. We’re covering all the bases this week.

Honda Bros 400 by K-Speed There’s no denying the talent oozing out of K-Speed’s Bangkok garage. And they’re not ones to rest on laurels either—barely two weeks after their Super Cub nearly melted our servers, comes this stunning Honda Bros 400.

Despite being a bit of a dud for Honda, the frame, wheels and single-sided swing arm on this Bros—dubbed ‘Future Storm’—are still original. But with a new all blacked-out finish, their lines now work well enough. The original Bros always looked like its shocks had been shook to me, so it also helps that K-Speed fabbed up a new subframe to create some much needed negative space above that rear wheel.

The new bodywork goes a long way too, with the reworked tank flowing expertly into an all-new custom tail unit. There’s a serious Tron vibe up front, thanks to beefy new fork guards that glide over top of the matching cowl when in motion. A headlight hides behind the louvered portion lower down, with some Motogadget turn signals up top, and on either side of the belly pan at the rear. [More]

Scrambler Ducati by Masaharu Scrambler Ducati’s Custom Rumble contest is in full swing again, with some pretty neat and tidy builds among the entries. But there’s one that clearly stands out. Built by Masaharu-san—one of the obsessive perfectionists behind parts fabricator Aella Japan—the ‘Aellambler’ is an absolute masterclass.

First, there’s the work that’s gone into the chassis. The subframe edit is spot on, but the smoothing and polishing work is otherworldly. (Just peep at that swing arm.) And then there’s the engine, which was treated to a serious cleanup that even included ditching the electronic fuel injection. The L-twin is now fed by a pair of 39mm FCR carbs, complete with a set of machined intakes and velocity stacks.

The real party piece here is that incredible bodywork. Designed via 3D modeling, the new form’s perfect flow is matched only by its shimmer. Western gold leaf—better known as brass foil—has been applied and reapplied to deliver this unique finish. Masaharu-san has documented the entire build process on his blog, and it’s worth a look; there’s even a video of the painstaking foil work. [More]

Honda CB350 by Titan Motorcycles I know what you’re thinking: pipe wrap, a wooden seat and a tank that could pass for Andre the Giant’s discarded whisky flask do not typically make for a stellar custom. But there’s much more than haphazard slap-dashery going on here.

Over the course of two years, partners Tom Possod and Michael Siebenhofer worked away on what began as a beat-up and busted CB350. The goal was to build a racer that would take concepts and ideas to extremes, while letting the two have fun in the process. Most of the metal work here is crafted from titanium—including the tank. And the Honda mill was reworked so that the guys could flip it 180 degrees, just for fun.

That wooden seat is actually a hollowed out piece of gorgeous olive wood. The hollowing out not only adds lightness, but gave the duo a place to stash the remaining electrics. It even has an injected resin running along a small split to match the yellow accents used elsewhere.

Some will scoff at the slightly ratty aesthetics but I like this thing. It’s good to be reminded that hot rodding can still be fun—for both the builders and the audience. [More]

Moto Morini Corsaro by Mr Martini There’s no denying the beauty and allure of a Moto Morini Corsaro. But there’s always room for improvement, right? Nicola Martini sure did a number on this one, which was unveiled recentlay at the Motor Bike Expo in Verona.

Working from the angry and aggressive Corsaro 1200 ZZ streetfighter, performance and handling weren’t in need of refinement. That bike already boasts near 140 hp and features some top-notch, fully adjustable suspenders and Brembo braking. Instead, the Corsaro Speciale is a nod to the salad days of café racers, incorporating some signature style from Mr. Martini to deliver a cracking classic look.

Gone are the bug-eyed LEDs and angular bodywork, swapped for smooth, swooping lines that begin with the new Dunstall style fairing and end with the humped rear section. A Zard exhaust now brings the noise, with twin mufflers flanking the tail. There’s a strip of tuck-rolled leather up top that could be used for a rear perch, but you’d need to find a pretty brave partner to give it a shot. [More]

BMW K100 by Z17 Customs Based in Moscow, Z17 Customs is comprised of a duo of relative novices. Mikhael and Sergey only partnered up around three years ago, but in that short time they’ve made some leaps and bounds.

The one that started it all for the small atelier is this 1988 K100—a rarity in Russia, and one of the prettier flying bricks we’ve seen in a while. It took some work to get to this stage—the donor was a smoking, wheezing mess when the guys picked it up. A total tear down was in order, and they figure over 100 lbs of patina and plastics were shed in the process.

The design of the build delivers a refined elegance that, dare I say, gives this brick a light and flickable demeanor. The subframe has been looped at just the right spot to mirror the overhang of the custom front fender. The seat looks plush enough to handle some distance, and its brown color sets off the cream and grey paintwork elegantly. And it would seem that Sergey and Mikhael found their niche, as they’ve since continued to source and tastefully refine a handful of BMW Ks. [More]

[olivereliott]

Custom Bikes Of The Week: 24 September, 2017

If you’re into 1970s racebikes, you’ll love this Yamaha TZ750-inspired XSR900 from Jeff Palhegyi—it’s one of the best Yard Built customs yet. We’ve also got the latest creation from Woolie at Deus, an XT500 scrambler 25 years in the making, and a Ducati Monster with more angles than a pretzel. Enjoy.

Yamaha XT500 by Andy Rolfe After a twenty-five year hiatus, Brisbane, Australia based Andy Rolfe decided to get back in the saddle. In an impressive way, no less. Working from a few scattered boxes of parts, he’s cobbled together a meticulous Yamaha XT500.

Just about everything on this build has been stripped, cleaned, catalogued, refined or replaced. The engine, once coated in Tremclad (dirt and all), was vapor blasted and rebuilt three times before everything was ‘just right’ in Andy’s eyes. The electrics were upgraded and re-routed to de-clutter as best as possible.

The tank, an original unit, has had more dents and dings removed than anyone can remember—but looks impeccable in its new polished state. As does the frame: any burrs, scratches or nicks were taken care of, and the rear hoop has been shortened to match the saddle’s profile perfectly.

Apparently Andy toyed with throwing in the towel a few times over the seven-month build. We’re glad he didn’t—and he probably is too. [More]

Yamaha Yard Built XSR900 by Jeff Palhegyi Designs Both Wes and I are big fans of the Yamaha XSR900. Aesthetic foibles around the tank area notwithstanding, the sport heritage Yammie triple is an absolute riot to ride fast—and it’s a decent donor for a custom build too.

Jeff Palhegyi may have just set a new standard though. Unveiled at the AIMExpo earlier this week, Palhegyi’s Yard Built XSR900 project ticks some serious style boxes. Drawing inspiration from the iconic TZ750, Palhegyi worked some magic on the brute’s new suit. Everything was built from scratch: the tank, tail, cowl and lower fairing were all hand crafted using a mix of alloy and FRP (fiber reinforced plastic) to deliver a tailored fit and tasteful homage.

The XSR900 also received performance upgrades along the way, in the form of Dymag wheels from the R1 parts bin—with hubs revised by Palhegyi himself—plus Graves Motorsports clip-ons, a titanium exhaust kit, and Sato rearsets. [More]

Honda CBF600N by Octane Motorcycles Iñaki Bellver and Carlos Lopez are doing something pretty unusual in custom bike building. Working out of their Spanish shop, the duo are creating ‘practical motorcycles, for everyday use.’ And if that doesn’t blow your mind, check out the finished product.

Working from a rather pedestrian Honda CBF600N, this cafe racer conversion was built for speed, comfort and bulletproof reliability. The speed comes from waking up the inline-four with a new set of cone filters, re-worked carbs and a custom four-into-one exhaust system that exits stage right. To hold that speed in the twisties, this Honda now rides on Kawi suspenders and wheels. The forks, rims and both sets of brakes all come courtesy of a benched Z750 and look right at home here.

Comfort comes in the form of flat, wide bars up front that keep most of the cafe aesthetic without turning the rider into a hunchback. Of course, the seat helps too and that new saddle is decently padded, complete with an integrated hump that not only hides the electrics but accentuates the work on the new subframe as well. Other niceties include the custom aluminum rearsets and the rolled, stainless steel fender.

Oh, and since Iñaki and Carlos are full-time engineers, rest assured that this is one CB that won’t rattle to bits anytime soon. [More]

Triumph T140 by Deus Customs When Michael ‘Woolie’ Woolaway gets his hands on a new project, you know the finished product will be a technical marvel. And a few creative boundaries will be no doubt be pushed as well. His latest, built under the Deus banner, is a modern take on a 1978 Triumph T140 that’s raising eyebrows for all the right reasons.

As is Woolies’ custom, this thing is as much a runner as a stunner. The 750cc twin has been ported, polished and rebuilt with top shelf go-fast bits. Megacycle cams activate lightened lifters. The cam gears have been beveled and drilled and the intake runners are handmade to maximize gains from the Mikuni flat slide carbs. Those breathe through unobstructed velocity stacks and draw fuel from an expertly shaped aluminum tank.

The frame itself is pretty special too: a handmade oil-in-frame unit with a wishbone section at the rear, to accommodate a custom Jimmy Wood mono-shock set-up. Up front, Öhlins forks handle the bumps, and the braking is top notch too. A Beringer 6-piston unit handles the bulk of work, with a Brembo kit clamping on the rear.

We’re told this latest Deus Customs creation has earned a spot as a centerpiece in its owner’s house. Let’s just hope it gets ridden and doesn’t stay hidden. [More]

Custom Ducati Monster S4R by Anvil Motociclette The Italian collective is known for its fashion forward design language and some serious skills in the garage. So when they decided to rework one of my favorite bikes, I knew it would be a stand-out.

First things first: you need to have a pretty steady hand and a decent gob of confidence if you’re going to let welded seams dominate the look of a build. Which apparently, for Italian duo Alessandro ‘Phonz’ Fontanesi and ‘San’ Marco Filios, wasn’t an issue when they created the Warthog Mille. Stripping the Ducati Monster of nearly everything save the iconic trellis, Phonz and Marco drew inspiration from the frame’s shapes and the raw power of that 996 derived L-Twin. Untold hours later, the one-piece bodywork started to take shape. And what a shape it is. Symmetrical, multi-faceted, expertly fused and absolutely cracking. The tail may not have received as much visual detail but Anvil’s engineers reworked it to be the new fuel cell feeding this Monster, albeit a limited supply.

The suspension and braking have all been rebuilt to deliver modern performance, and thanks to some ECU work and that Zard exhaust, the Warthog can run wild. [More]

[olivereliott]

Custom Bikes Of The Week: 17 September, 2017

Bare metal cafe racers from Spain and Italy are spinning our wheels this week, plus a Honda XR600R tracker conversion and a fluoro orange Yamaha FZ-09 from Australia.

Honda XR600R by Vintage Addiction Crew The Crew are no strangers to these parts. They’ve impressed us couple of times before with their attention to detail and expert level of execution.

And they’ve done it again with this transformation of a Honda XR600R into a scrappy looking street tracker. Given its Baja-winning roots, the Barcelona guys were originally thinking a vintage enduro build would foot the bill. But after some reminiscing over old flat track photos, the thumper’s new identity was forged.

But first they needed the engine to fire. Moto Racing Canet helped with the rebuild, as things had actually seized solid. And while the internals were being seen to, the V.A. Crew went to work on the rest. A Sportster surrendered its peanut tank, which was reworked to sit so pretty on the Honda’s spine. A new, 2-piece subframe was fitted and the obligatory fiberglass flat track tail bolted on. The suspension was rebuilt and lowered to nail its new stance on those 19-inch hoops and a gorgeous coat of HRC paint dressed everything up. [More]

Honda CB750 by Bolt Motor Co. I’d like to say it’s not every day we see a Honda CB cafe—but that would be a lie. Truth be told, the inboxes are inundated with them, so it takes something special to truly stand out. This time around, that standout comes with a bare metal finish, from Valencia’s Bolt Motor Company.

Working with a late model 1994 CB750, Bolt’s craftsmen had a bit of plastic to strip down before they started this build. But they didn’t stop there. The tank that Honda spec’d in the mid-nineties had an aero treatment that just wasn’t going to sit right for a cafe racer, so the flowing OE unit was swapped for one from a 77’ K7. From there, all of the electrics were tidied and the airbox was ditched to deliver one of the cleanest triangles we’ve seen. But it’s the seat and tail unit that steals the show here. To perfectly match the shape of the K7’s tank, Bolt’s designers took to some 3D modeling before fabrication and absolutely killed it. [More]

Ducati cafe racer by Affetto It’s hard to go wrong with a custom Ducati when you draw inspiration from Paul Smart. Which is why this tribute in raw metal from Affetto Ducati is making me drool.

Of course, there’s a bit more going on than some fancy metalwork and a painted frame. Leo Fleuren, the Dutchman behind Affetto, has a thing for transforming old and rare Italians, so the base for this bike begins with an 860 Bevel. To ensure everything would work flawlessly, the frame was fettled and the swingarm from a late-model Sport Classic was fitted. But it too needed modification as the drive chain on the Bevel churns rubber from the right side, not the left. The wheels are from a Ducati Scrambler, and the brakes from a 996.

Wiring has all been re-worked with some help from Motogadget and a lightweight, lithium battery hides in the hump. Speaking of which, all of that gorgeous bodywork—the tank, tail and front fender—was hand beaten by local wizards at Labro Carrozzeria. [More]

Yamaha FZ-09 by Ellaspede The Brisbane, Australia shop seems to nail that balance of performance and style with every build. What started out as a riotous city-mouse from the factory has been transformed into a country-mouse machine that’s just as comfortable scampering along the beachfront as it is heading into the Outback.

Starting with a bone stock 2014 FZ-09 (or MT-09, depending), a quick consult with its owner revealed a desire for some dusty path work. That meant the asphalt-friendly suspenders at both ends needed to go. Öhlins were units were fitted up on both ends to soak up the rough stuff without elevating the seat height into the stratosphere, and a set of Continental TKC 70s found their way onto the mags.

Since the Yammie already had a competent layout, the tank and seat remain untouched. But Ellaspede put some tidy work into the 3-into-1-into-2 high-mount exhaust system, guarded by a set of custom side covers. The rumor is those mags may soon swap to spokes, and with them an upgrade to TKC 80 rubber. But we’re liking the looks on this thing as it sits. [More]

Triumph Thruxton R by Alo’s Cafe There’s rarely a day that goes by where I don’t ponder plunking down on Triumph’s new Thruxton R. Of course, that doesn’t mean things can’t be improved.

The Italian Triumph dealer and custom shop Alo’s Cafe was approached by watchmakers Meccaniche Veloci to build a cafe racer that would reflect the intricacies of their timepieces. ‘Bullet Time’ is the result.

Working with aluminum—for their first time, I might add—Alo’s team put over 100 hours into the bodywork fabrication alone. The dolphin fairing, side panels and hand-rolled fender were all left with a raw, brushed finish that’s echoed by the stripped, factory tank. The seat is a completely bespoke unit that was contrast-stitched in Alo’s workshop. That stitching mimics the style found on Meccaniche’s watchbands, and the aluminum stripe atop the hump is form-fitted. Finishing things off, a custom exhaust snakes through whatever negative space it can find to keep a slim profile, and is capped on both sides by Zard cans. [More]